Loyalty in friendship is bliss but on the flipside is betrayal, that infernal jungle echoing to the calls of vicious jealousies and ruthless combat; Aliko Dangote and Samad Rabiu, the founder and Executive Chairman, BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, have been plying such jungle for far too long no doubt.
Little wonder the two bosom friends fell out with each other over allegations of this and that. But following many months of estrangement from each other, the two men have seemingly rediscovered the essence of true loyalty, which is why they have agreed to bury the hatchet.
Today, both men are back together and seem even more determined to revive their comatose friendship. Not a few people were shocked by tales of rancor and estrangement of the two friends; that was because their friendship was well celebrated while it lasted.
However, they have since resolved their differences. Samad was at Aliko’s 60th birthday party last night. He left everything he was doing to honour a friend and brother. A lot of people were so happy to see Samad at the party. Aliko and Samad have come a long way. Theirs was a relationship seemingly made in heaven and consummated here in Nigeria.
Nobody forgets the first time they met Abdulsamad, everyone wishes for an encore. Often it’s not the first meeting that resonates but the first time he inspired them to look inwards and tap into their innate individuality and purposeful clarity cum cheerfulness continuum that is the hallmark of the BUA brand.